Finger shield device



Jan. 1, 1952 A. B. DEE

FINGER SHIELD DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1947 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFElGE 1 viAlene.-B.;l3ee,Chicagoglll. I I 7 Application. August '13, 1947",Serial-N; 768,421

AaClaims. (c1. lea-.885)

This inventionrelatesto a' finger Shield device. The invention is particularly useful for the shielding of the-finger while-enamel or" other treating material is applied to the fingernail.

Various devices have-been provided for-shielding the'portions of the finger about the fingernail while treating material is applied to the nail. Such devices permit expansion 'so as to adapt'them to-larger and smaller-nails. The'difficulty,-however, with such devices is that they do=not adjust themselves accurately tothe fingernailsof differentsizes-a-nd leave portions-of the n'aileither shielded so that they do not receive the treating material, or expose portions of the finger'about the-nail.

Anobject of the'present invention is to provide afinger shield device'which' accurately follows the contour "of the 'nail, not only in a lateral plane, but in a vertical plane. Another object is to provide a shield device which moves outwardly and downwardly when being expanded, and which moves inwardly and upwardly when being contracted, thus adjusting the shield portions thereof to the arcuate shape of :the finger and nail. Yet another object is to provide presser wings below the shield, which'engage the flesh of-the finger and press the fingernail itself up evenly 'within the jaws :or confines of the shield. Other specific -objects and advantages will appear as the-specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated;in preferred 3cmbodiments, bythe "accompanying drawingpln which- "Figure l'isa side-view elevation of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a front View in elevation; Fig. 3, a top plan View; Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the shield expanded to fit a larger fingernail; Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the device expanded to fit a larger fingernail; Fig. '7, a-schematic view showing the application of the presser fianges for bringing about a tight fitting of the shield device with the fingernail; Fig. 8, a side view in elevation of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 9, a top plan view; Fig. 10, a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing the shield members expanded to fit a larger fingernail; Fig. 11, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line II of Fig. 9; Fig. 12, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line I2 01. Fig. 9; and Fig. 13, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line I3 0! Fig. 10.

In the iillustrationgiven in:Figs..;1 .:-to;.'7 inclusive, ll) and l l designateaapairgof members having inwardly-sturned v.fianges ..I'2 spivotally, 13,011? nectedby apin B. s; I

The member; lit has.an.integrallyeformedzhorizontallyeextending shield I5. adapted to-..extend over the .finger adjacent the fingernail .Ihe member I..I :hasa similar-shield IA. :Eachotthe shields 11:4. and I5. ;have inwardly.-;ext endingnor-,- tionsv I16 awhich. overlap, .as :shown more ;-.cl ea1;1y in Fig. 5. The shields. have vthe-contourgas shownmore clearly inFigs. 3.:andA.

flhe; members :I 9 :and .ll .havecatathei-r bottom extensions. forming Jhandles ll-aand lflriand the handles ;permit-. the;m;emb.e.rs :108 manipulated about. the pivot ,I 3, so as to. swing the :shields I4 and t5; inwardly and outwardly. ..;A:.coi1.aspr n I9 isrreceived about the:pin.-I;-3 andihas extensions engaging the members In and I I tog-urge I the handle portions IT and I8 apart.

jFromthe upperportions ofathe members! and I I;, I prefertostrike in'two arcuatep-resser flanges 21], which; are adaptedito engage the flesh of-the finger .and to bring the fingernail evenly into contact withthe edges of the shields-I4 and I5.

.,In the operation of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to'7,,the handles.ll and I8 arepressedinwardly a ainsttheforce of spring I9 so as .tospread the shields. i4 and I5. The finger may then .beextended between. theshieldsand the handles may be .released to allow .the shields to. engage the ed e of the'fingernail. At the same time, the presser'flanges' 20 tend to press upwardly'against the body of the'fingerso asto "produce aneven and tight fit, adjusting the fingernail to the shields I4 and [5. After the fingernail polish, enamel or other treating material has' been applied to the fingernail, the shield device may be removed by simply pressing the handles I! and I8 toward each other, and the shield may then be applied to a difierent finger on which the finger.- nail may be larger or smaller.

In the above adjusting operation, it will be noted that the shield members swing in an arc of substantially the same degree of curvature as the fingernaihand thus bring the shields evenly along the edge of the fingernail, whether the fingernail be larger or smaller.

In the structure shown in Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, I provide a central or stationary shield member 2I, having angularly-turned sides 22 at the rear thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 11. Pivotally connected to the angularly-turned sides 22 are the shield supporting members 23 and 24. The member 23 has a laterally-turned wing handle 25, and carries at its forward end an arcuate shield 26. The member 24 carries at its rear 2. laterally-turned wing handle 27, and at its forward end an arcuate shield 28. A spring '29 is connected to the members 23 and 24 and extends over the stationary shield member 2|. The stationary shield member 2| is provided at its front with an arcuate edge 30, which conforms to the curvature of the fingernail at the rear portion thereof.

In the operation of the structure shown in Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, the user presses the wing handles 25 and 21 toward each other to spread the shields 26 and 28. The swing of the arms 23 and 24 is in an arcuate path by reason of the pivoting of the members on the angular sides 22 of the stationary member 2|. Thus, when the shield members 26 and 28 are spread to engage a larger fingernail, the shield members move outwardly and downwardly. Similarly, when the shield members are brought into engagement with a smaller fingernail, the shields move inwardly and upwardly. The shields 26 and 28 provide with the stationary shield edge 30 a shield pattern which conforms to the large or small fingernail upon which the device is applied. The shield members 26 and 28 are preferably provided with downwardly and inwardly extending presser flanges 3!, which engage the flesh of the finger, and the inner and upward pressure, thus exerted, causes the fingernail to be drawn into sharp alignment with the shields '26 and 28.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth certain details of structure for the purpose of illustrating particular embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that such structural details may be varied widely by .those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: I r

1. In a finger shield device, a pair of movable shield members having a contour adapted to fit about a fingernail, actuating arms formed integrally with said shields, means connecting said arms in pivotal relation, handles connected to said arms and extending away from the fingernail beyond said pivotal connection, spring means urging said shield members'toward one another, and a pair of inwardly-extending presser flanges carried by said shield members and adapted to press against the sides of the finger to force the fingernail upward into close engagement with the shield members.

2. In a finger shield device. a pair of movable shield members having a contour adapted to fit about a fingernail, actuating arms formed integrally with the shields extending around the finger, a pivotal connection between said arms below the finger, handles connected to said arms and extending away from the finger beyond said pivotal connection, spring means normally urging said shield members together, and a pair of inwardly-extending presser flanges carried by said shield members and adapted to press against the sides of the finger to force the fingernail upward into close engagement with the shield members.

3. In a finger shield device, a stationary member providing at its forward end an arcuate edge adapted to lie above and at the rear of a fingernail, said stationary member having downwardly-turned sides at its rear end, a pair of members pivotally secured to said sides and having actuating handle extensions, and a pair of shields carried by the forward ends of said members so as to fit along the sides of the fingernail and to form with said stationary member a. shield enclosure for the fingernail.

4. In a finger shield device, a stationary member providing at its forward end an arcuate edge adapted to lie above and at the rear of a fingernail, said stationary member having downwardly-turned sides at its rear end, a pair of members pivotally secured to said sides and having actuating handle extensions, a pair of shields carried. by the forward ends of said members so as to fit along the sides of the fingernail and to form with said stationary member a shield enclosure for the fingernail, and a spring member extending over said stationary member and en-.- gaging said movable members to urge them toward each other.

ALENE B. DEE.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

